Saint Leo University and Town of St. Leo Land Nearly $3 Million in New State Budget

ST. LEO, FL — A trio of budget projects worth nearly $3 million has survived Gov. Ron DeSantis's veto pen, delivering a significant win for Saint Leo University and the small Pasco County town it calls home.

The Breakdown

The funding, included in the newly signed $117.6 billion state budget, provides:

• $1.2 million to expand Saint Leo University's nursing program

• $602,000 for a new Cybersecurity and Cyberforensics Training and Education Center

• $995,000 for stormwater infrastructure supporting the Town of St. Leo's proposed town center

Nursing Expansion

The nursing money addresses a statewide priority — Florida faces a projected shortage of nearly 60,000 nurses by 2035, according to the Florida Hospital Association. Saint Leo's program has grown quickly to keep pace with demand, jumping from 77 incoming pre-nursing students in fall 2024 to 124 in fall 2025, with enrollment expected to top 150 this fall. The funding will reconfigure existing campus space to add three classrooms, a nursing lab, and faculty offices, along with new simulation equipment and classroom technology upgrades.

Cybersecurity Investment

The cybersecurity funding will support construction of a Security Operations Center and a cyberforensics lab, giving students hands-on training in digital defense, network monitoring, and digital forensics. It will also help recruit additional faculty for the university's undergraduate and graduate cybersecurity programs — filling a gap in a field expected to face a shortage of more than 1 million workers nationwide by 2027.

What's Coming to St. Leo

The town's $995,000 will fund stormwater improvements tied to the proposed St. Leo Town Center — a planned mixed-use gathering space for residents, visitors, and the university community. Plans call for restaurants, retail and market space, walking trails, a pavilion, botanical gardens, and shaded public areas, along with a history center expected to open this summer.

Why It's Worth Knowing

"Our Benedictine mission has always been rooted in service," said Saint Leo University President Jim Burkee. "We are grateful to Gov. Ron DeSantis, Sen. Danny Burgess, Rep. Randy Maggard, and the Florida Legislature for supporting that mission and investing in a future workforce dedicated to serving others."

Zephyrhills Republican Sen. Danny Burgess and Dade City Republican Rep. Randy Maggard sponsored the budget requests that secured the funding.

📍 Saint Leo University and the Town of St. Leo, Pasco County, FL

📅 Funding included in Florida's 2026–27 state budget, signed by Gov. DeSantis

🌐 saintleo.edu for more on the university's nursing and cybersecurity programs